He’s a wonderful student, he has made an award winning short film, and he’s only six, but Zachary Christie of Newark, Delaware is fighting to stay in school. The young boy who recently joined the cub scouts was so excited about his involvement that he brought to school with him his camping utensil. It’s a fork, spoon, can opener and knife. He took it out during his lunch to use to eat with. That’s when all hell broke loose.
The Christina School District with its zero tolerance policy is putting this first grader in the districts reform school for 45 days. This is a first grader who comes to school sometimes in a suit and tie because his mother says he takes school so seriously.
Now his parents are home schooling him as they fight / beg the school to reconsider. They’ve even created a website, helpzachary.com to try and encourage the district to come to their senses. A State Representative is asking the district to, “act with common sense for the well-being of this child”.
Do you think the school is doing the responsible thing? Should districts with a zero-tolerance policy be able to apply common sense in light of cases like this?
